TL;DR
A high-fat diet worsened Alzheimer’s-like brain changes in genetically susceptible mice, but DHA-rich fish oil—alone or combined with curcumin—helped reduce plaque formation and improved memory and cognition.
Research published in The Journal of Neuroscience (2009; 29(28):9078–9089) examined how diet and targeted nutrients influence Alzheimer’s-like changes in the brain. Researchers used mice genetically bred to develop amyloid plaques similar to those seen in human Alzheimer’s disease. The mice were fed either a standard diet or a high-fat diet. Within each group, some animals also received supplements containing fish oil rich in the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), either alone or combined with curcumin, a bioactive compound found in turmeric. Both substances have been studied and found to reduce inflammation.
Mice fed the high-fat diet showed a greater tendency toward Alzheimer’s-like brain changes, including increased plaque formation, compared with those on a standard diet. However, this effect was markedly reduced in mice receiving DHA-rich fish oil, with or without curcumin. Supplementation appeared to counteract the harmful effects of the high-fat diet, leading to fewer amyloid-like lesions. The supplemented mice also demonstrated improvements in memory and cognitive performance. The brain is exceptionally vulnerable to inflammation.
